10 Things You'll Need To Know About Twin Bedside Cot

Choosing a Bedside Cot for Twins

It's best to keep twins in the infant stage close together, but you should also adhere to safety sleep guidelines. Choosing the right crib arrangement will help your twins develop an established routine for sleep.

A double bassinet that has an divider is a great choice for twins. These portable beds let parents keep their infants close for diaper changes as well as mid-night meals. They are also great for infants that may outgrow their bassinets prior to 2.

Space-Saving

Twins can share a bed in a bedside crib, as long as you follow the safe sleeping guidelines (that's to say that they should be lying on their backs with the tops of their heads facing each other and their feet placed at opposite sides of the cot). When they're big enough, they can sleep together in a Moses Basket or a regular crib.

This Delta double bassinet features mesh dividers that allow babies to be separated, but still close. It also has a storage pocket for wipes and snacks. Plus, it folds flat, making it easy to move around the house or go on trips.

This EZ Fold Twin Bassinet, available at Walmart, swivels so that you can bring your twins who are fussy closer to you to feed them and soothe them. The sides can be raised and lowered for easy access, and are secured for security. It's a bit longer and heavier than other options however it is ideal for the second-floor or homes for grandparents.  bedside travel crib www.cots4tots.co.uk  comes with a bag for travel. It's also less expensive than the Halo Bassinest Twin.

Convenience

While many parents of twins may be tempted to sleep the babies together in a single crib or bassinet, this is generally not recommended. Rednose suggests that twins have their own secure sleeping area (crib, portable crib, or bassinet) in the room of the parents/caregivers until they reach 12 months to reduce the risk of SIDS. This arrangement is also referred to as co-bedding and it has been proven that twins who are used to this sleep environment will generally have a more coordinated sleeping pattern than twins who sleep separately.

One of the easiest ways to achieve this is by using twin bedside cots, like the Teknum FELLOW 2 which comes with two separate bedding sets so every baby can have an individual and comfortable space. This bedside cot can also easily be moved from room to room when required, and makes it easy to check on babies without having to wake them by re-entering their sleeping zone or disrupting their sleep patterns.

Double bassinets are an alternative. They permit infants to sleep side-by-side and are ideal for feedings and diaper changes during the middle of the night. The Halo Bassinest Twin, for instance, features an air-tight mesh partition and a height that can be adjusted so that each child can be observed and reached throughout the night, and the sides of the sleeper lower and raise to give easy access. If you're looking for a more affordable alternative, the Walmart-exclusive Twin EZ Fold Double Bassinet is similar, featuring two sleeping zones separated by a mesh panel that allows babies to see each other, and the entire sleeper is able to rotate 360 degrees, giving ease of access for each infant.

Many parents have found that bedding twins together with moses baskets or a small bassinette, can be a good solution for temporary situations such as hospitalization or a family visit. This should only be done under the supervision by a healthcare professional. They will ensure that the infants are correctly placed, with their feet at the bottom of the crib and all bedding is tucked into.

Safety

The most important safety feature when it comes to twins is that they have their own sleeping space. This helps prevent each baby from being smothered, choked or otherwise choking by the other. It also helps to prevent cot deaths, which are more common in single infants than multiples.

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that tritons, twins and higher-ordered multiples have their own sleeping space. This can be achieved with an individual bassinet or a twin bedside crib you can place on your bed to feed or soothe one of the babies during the night.

While recent SIDS risk reduction guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics encourage room sharing with parents and discourage cobedding however, the reality is that a lot of families of twins and higher-order multiples aren't able to comply with these guidelines (1). A previous study revealed that a majority of families with twins who were cobedded in the first 3 months at home opted for unsafe sleeping practices (room sharing without cobedding).

Parents of twins may not follow the current SIDS risk reduction guidelines due to a desire to prolong their own sleep and a lack of space to accommodate multiple cribs at home. In addition the socioeconomic standing of a family may influence their decisions about sleeping arrangements.

When twins are placed together in a crib or Moses basket, they may easily get caught in their bedding, and possibly choke on each other. If you choose to put your twins in the same cot together ensure they are placed in an area that their feet are right next to their heads, and that their bedding is placed in the cots securely. This will decrease the chance of them choking on each other.

One of the safer and more comfortable options for twins to sleep independently is a bassinet that sits beside the bed like the Halo Bassinest Twin. The double bassinet features a mesh wall to divide twins and give them their own flat, safe sleep surface. It swivels a full 360 degrees, allowing you to bring one of your children closer to you for feedings or calming without having to leave the comfort of your bed, and its side walls lower and auto-return with each movement. It's easy to clean and fits into the standard twin bed frame. Check out the Delta Children Twin EZ Fold Double Bassinet at Walmart. It comes with the same features to the Halo Bassinest.

Comfort

Being welcomed by twins or multiples to the world is a huge life change. Not only that, they require a lot of planning and thinking regarding their sleeping arrangements and how they can get a good night's sleep. While the decisions regarding their future room can be made as they age, parents often wonder what they can do to help them get comfortable in the early stages.

It is possible for twins to share a crib when they are small. Co-bedding is a method of comforting newborns by bringing them back to their womb. It is important to ensure that the beds are big enough for the babies to be comfortable without touching or rolling around. It is also important to remember that the baby who awakes first must be fed. It is helpful to coordinate feeding times at night so that you can get one of them up earlier than the other.

It is important to remember that twins can have very different sleep patterns. It is possible that one child sleeps better than the other or prefers to be close to you. In this instance it might be best to provide each twin with their own crib or bassinet.

Look for twin bedside cots with breathable mesh dividers to create separate sleeping areas. This is crucial for infants who are at risk of heat stroke or families whose mothers have had a C-section. A reversible base and wheels that are easy to move are also beneficial features. The Arm's Reach cot is an excellent option for these needs since it provides an ample sleeping space and is designed with moms who have c-sections in mind. Other options include the Graco Pack 'n Play and the Fisher-Price Easy Swaivel, but they have a smaller sleeping area than the Arm's Reach cot.

It is not recommended to sleep with twins in the same bed with an adult even if they're very close. There is a higher risk of SIDS and may result in suffocation strangulation, or entrapment. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that twins sleep in their own bassinets or cribs in their parents' bedrooms for the first six months.